Author:Prof. Emmanuel Adedayo Adedun & Tolulope Grace Ojo
Date: 20/02/2026
This paper explores the sociolinguistic factors that precipitate the translation shifts in Yoruba proverbs. The theoretical framework for the analysis of this study is Eugene Nida's (1964) Translation theory. It adopts descriptive qualitative analysis. It purposively examines ten Yoruba proverbs. This study identifies that proverbs in Yoruba culture are not just linguistic ornaments but vital tools for cultural transmission, social regulation, and indirect communication. It demonstrates that a literal, formally correspondent translation is often inadequate because it results in opacity for a cross-cultural audience. The analysis reveals that systematic shifts to dynamic, contextual translations are compelled by profound sociolinguistic factors which include deep-seated cultural values, social hierarchies (e.g., age and authority roles), communicative norms (e.g., politeness and indirectness), and unshared cultural schemas. The study concludes that translation shifts are not a failure of accuracy but a prerequisite for effective cultural mediation. It positions the translator as a cultural interpreter who must bridge sociolinguistic gaps to preserve the pragmatic force and wisdom of African indigenous proverbs thereby affirming that to translate a proverb is to translate its underlying culture.
Keywords: Yoruba proverbs, translation shifts, sociolinguistics, cross-cultural communication
Download PDF